PF-80ED with XW14 (1 Viewer)

P

Pileatus

"Experientia Docet”

• Mar 8, 2009

• #1

Yesterday, I looked through a straight Pentax 80ED scope mounted with the XW14 eyepiece. The XW14 results in a very impressive 36X magnification coupled with 20mm of useable eye relief and a very wide field of view. I was, to say the least, quite impressed with the image. I'm not sure if anything is lost with the angled version, but I would be quite happy with what I saw yesterday. I'd probably skip the zoom altogether and go with the XW14 (36X) and the XW20 (26X).

John

 

RJM

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

• Mar 8, 2009

• #2

Not clear if you already own the scope but if not, just know the PF-80ED does not use the full aperture of the 80mm objective lens. The focusing prism cuts into the light path. My sample tested to be ~77mm when focused at infinity down to ~65mm at close focus of 5m.

Rick

 

Last edited: Mar 8, 2009

Kevin Conville

yardbirder

• Mar 8, 2009

• #3

John Traynor said:

Yesterday, I looked through a straight Pentax 80ED scope mounted with the XW14 eyepiece. The XW14 results in a very impressive 36X magnification coupled with 20mm of useable eye relief and a very wide field of view. I was, to say the least, quite impressed with the image. I'm not sure if anything is lost with the angled version, but I would be quite happy with what I saw yesterday. I'd probably skip the zoom altogether and go with the XW14 (36X) and the XW20 (26X).

John

Click to expand...

I have that very scope and eyepieces. The XW14 is on most of the time and I agree that the view is great, maybe hard to beat. I don't have, and don't miss, the zoom. I like the small wheel (Pentax, Kowa) focuser better than helical (Nikon Fieldscope, Swaro) types as well.

My only quibble is that the ED80 / XW combo is a big scope. If I'm going to be walking much I tend to take a little Nikon ED50.

A PF65II with XW14 for 28x is also a pretty sweet combo, in a smaller package, if 28x works for you.

 

Last edited: Mar 8, 2009

J

John Dracon

John Dracon

• Mar 10, 2009

• #4

Kevin - you are correct, the Pentax 80 ED is a big honker. I use the XW 14. It sits at a bay window overlooking a mountain valley. The Pentax 65 ED is what I use to pack around outside and find the XW 20 most useful although it is slightly under 20 power. Like you I prefer the small focus knob better than the helical. Before I bought the Pentax 80 ED, I spent several days with a friend's Swarovski 80 HD which had the zoom and compared it to the Pentax zoom. I felt the Pentax zoom was a little bit better, but the individual eyepieces were simply better. John

 

J

John Dracon

John Dracon

• Mar 17, 2009

• #5

Today, we had a foot of new snow in White Suffering Springs. The storm abated just before dusk. So I checked the mountains to the north (about two miles from the first ridges) with my Nikon 12x50 SEs and discovered a herd of elk on the southern exposure. That meant a quick look with the Pentax 80 ED, and the elk with snow background and an overcast sky were easy to see. Tomorrow, before the sun gets in the way, I'm going to put on my XW 10 eyepiece for a look see. John

 

J

jogiba

Well-known member

• Mar 25, 2009

• #6

I have the scope and use an older 14mm Pentax XL that also works great but use the 20mm Pentax XW more often. I sometimes use my 13mm Televue Ethos with 100° AFOV in my backyard looking at birds etc since it's focus range is about 15-100 ft because of the 2"-1.25" barrel.

 

J

jimscarff

Active member

• Apr 10, 2009

• #7

I have both the PF-80ED-A and the PF-65ED-A scopes, and both are just wonderful. I agree with the comments above that the 80 is a "big honker" and the 65 is a terrific scope for travel. The XW eyepieces are what you want. the XW14 is wonderful, and I'll put in a good word for the XW 20-60X eyepiece as well. One great advantage of the XW14 eyepiece is that it works fairly well for digiscoping with the new Panasonic G1 camera as discussed at more length in one of the digiscoping threads.